Wednesday, November 5, 2014

12:12 AM

Republicans are on the verge of having their largest majority in the Assembly in nearly 50 years if a couple of tight leads hold up.

With all precincts reporting, Republican Todd Novak was leading in the open 51st District over Dem Dick Cates by 59 votes, according to unofficial returns, 10,619-10,560, with all wards in. Meanwhile, with all precincts in, unofficial returns have Republican David Heaton with an 86-vote lead on Dem Rep. Mandy Wright in the 85th District, 11,159-11,073.

ADCC expected recounts to be requested in those races. Absentee ballots can still be counted if they're received by Friday, and the county canvasses also may change numbers.

If the winning margin is less than 0.5 percent, the candidate requesting the recount does not have to pay for it.

Meanwhile, GOP Rep. Kathy Bernier, who was considered the most vulnerable Republican incumbent in the Assembly, is poised to hold onto her seat in a race with Dem Jeff Peck that wasn't as close as some initially expected.

If the margins in the 51st and 85th hold up following likely recounts, Republicans would have 63 seats. That would be the most seats they've held in the Assembly since the 1957-58 session, when they had 67, according to the Wisconsin Blue Book.

-- By JR RossEditor's note: This post has been updated with unofficial returns from the 51st and 85th, where all precincts are now in.